Rainbows and Otter Pelt

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven. Matt. 5:14, 16

On March 6, amid the beginnings of covid19 epidemic and a level 4 travel alert, I left for Haiti on a medical mission. I joined a team from my brother’s church in Shelburn, Indiana and in Miami we joined a team of college students and doctors from Nebraska, to make a total of 32 team members. Upon arrival in Port Au Prince, we were checked for fever as we left the plane and then proceeded to customs where we paid $10 to enter the country. After loading luggage and boarding three vehicles, we went on a wild and crazy ride through town, weaving in and out of traffic, rarely stopping. The wild ride came to halt twice. Once to repair a leaking radiator hose and once to replace a clogged fuel filter. Satan was working to prevent us from arriving but we prevailed. It made me wondered what God was going to do through us that Satan wanted to prevent it. While waiting for repair to truck, I had a good conversation with Willem, founder of Mountaintop Ministries. He is proud of the heritage of his country and his goal with Mountaintop Ministries is to transform Haiti from a country of poverty, corruption, and voodoo through the power of Jesus Christ and education of the people.

We were well cared for at the mission house. Breakfast and dinner was prepared daily. A generator provided power to charge 16 car batteries which would provide electricity for lights, charging electronics, and running the water pump. Guard dogs patrolled the property and we even had a police officer on our team assigned a shotgun for additional protection. By American standards we were somewhat primitive. Diligent to not flush toilet paper, conservative with the flushes, no hot water or showers. Baths were taken by filling a plastic tub with a small amount of water, using a small bowl to splash yourself to wet and rinse off. And we slept under mosquito netting. By Haitian standards we were staying in luxury.

Each day we would traverse down one mountainside, across a dry riverbed- where Haitians were digging for water to drink, bath, and wash clothes – and up another mountainside to the village of Gramoth. We held 6 days of clinics, along with a small construction team who worked on projects around church and school. The clinic had a well stocked pharmacy, set up similar to a retail pharmacy. I worked alongside a pharmacist from Indiana, a veteran volunteer from Arizona, and a Haitian interpreter, Angela.

While on this trip, I had the opportunity to perform some tasks I have been desiring to do – compounding a medication from tablet form to liquid form, and reconstitute a medication along with preparing a syringe for administration.

In 6 clinics we saw 1206 people, averaged 950 prescriptions filled daily. Each person who came to clinic was given a salvation tract and a Creole translation of the gospel of John and book of Romans.

On Thursday evening, before we even arrived in Haiti, we heard people were already lining up for clinic. Each evening, people would spend the night to be seen the next day. One of the ways I saw God’s hand during this trip was the weather. I heard the people were waiting on rain to plant their crops. It was rainy and cool on Sunday, when we held no clinic, and it rained again the night of our last clinic. All days of clinic when people were waiting outside and spending the night outside it did not rain. Some highlights from clinic: a baby was born, minor surgeries performed, besides blood pressure meds and diabetes meds we treated scabies and sexually transmitted diseases.

God is transforming the village of Gramoth and consequently the country of Haiti through Mountaintop Ministries. The village has a fresh water supply from a Mountaintop spring. The ministry has piped the fresh water to the village for drinking and irrigation. Because of this they are able to have multiple crops annually and with the fresh drinking water, water born diseases have been reduced. Willem has established a school and every child that attends school must also attend church, where they hear about Jesus Christ. Along with elementary and high school grades, a trade school has been established. When Willem first came, the night air would be filled with the beating of voodoo drums. The drums are now silent. Voodoo temples no longer exist on the village. When the last voodoo priest left, he gave his property to Mountaintop Ministries. He said his demons would no longer come when he summoned them. That’s the power of light over darkness!

If you would like to be a part of transforming lives in Haiti from poverty in voodoo to prosperity in Christianity, you can sponsor a child’s education at http://www.mtmhaiti.com

I have joined my older brother’s church on a mission trip to Haiti with Mountaintop Ministries. It is a medical mission and construction mission. I had heard that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and while I have been to other third world countries, I was not expecting it to be much different. Just in two days, it has been quite an experience. To start with, the night before our flight, the travel risk to Haiti was elevated to a level four. But we came anyway. Customs went well. We loaded a truck with all of the luggage, 28 people’s luggage, 2 suitcases each and one being large for supplies. Several of the guys ended up sitting on top of the luggage for the ride to Mission house.

One truck developed a busted radiator house that we had to pull over to repair. Then the truck with all the luggage stalled out climbing a long hill. We got it to the side and waited for someone to bring a fuel filter, which was replaced on side of road. I thought, God must have something amazing planned for this week for Satan to work so hard to create obstacles to try to keep us from coming. Today, I discovered one of those things. Willem, founder of Mountaintop Ministries, had to point out we witnessed a miracle from God today. A young lady, 19 years of age arrived at clinic this morning and she was pregnant. Upon arrival, she was already in labor and while there her water broke. She gave birth to a little girl later in the afternoon. The miracle Willam pointed out was God planned that birth, at conception, to coincide with a team of American doctors being in Haiti and holding a medical clinic. She did not have money to pay a Haitian doctor but because of God’s timing, she received exceptional medical care and did not pay a dime.

In the afternoon, I had the opportunity to join my brother Phil on his construction project. He, along with 5 other people, were repairing benches in the church. Later this week he will be teaching grade school students carpentry.

Two verses that I think encapsulate the ending of a year and the beginning of a new one. In this year, the beginning of a new decade as well.

Philippians 3:13-14 “But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end”.

At the end of 2009, I never would have dreamed of being, or doing, what I am now at the end of 2019. I think I have finally reached the point where I no longer look behind, missing what was, and am looking forward. Seeking God’s next move in my life. Striving to live in the present. Not wondering, or worrying about the future. Not trying to figure out what God is doing or planning. Just going with the flow. As Paul wrote: forget what is behind and moving ahead toward’s God. Forget about 2019, or the previous decade. Do not mourn what was or could have been. Move forward to a new year and a new decade. Press on towards God’s calling and His goal. As Solomon referenced, enjoy the present. We can not fathom God’s complete work. And maybe we can not even fathom how what He has called us to do at this present time fits into His big picture work. Enjoy the moment, the present, the beauty of the right now. And be in awe of what God is doing right now. Be present and accept the invitation He has given you to be a part of His work in this present time.

This season, I have been pondering what Christmas is all about. Christmas is a time where we celebrate God drawing near to us. From the time of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God, there has existed a distance between us and God. A damaged relationship. When we have a damaged relationship with another person, someone has to make the first move to repair it. That’s what God did with Jesus’s birth. He made the first move. He filled the gap. God made it possible for us to draw near to Him, through Jesus. Paul sums it up very well in Ephesians 2:1-5. “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of the world…But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us…made us alive with Christ”.

Jesus is the “but God”. God reached down for us, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) so that we could be alive in Him. “In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matt. 5:16

My mission trip to South Africa began with a step of obedience and a leap of faith. In mid August I was informed by my friend that there was an opportunity to join the team with North Carolina Baptist’s on Missions to Johannesburg, South Africa. I had just enough money in my missions account to cover the cost. I debated asking for financial assistance but felt God was leading me to use the money I had. Every time I would pray for Him to provide He would say “I already have”. I was hesitant to use all my savings because I was comfortable with having that safety net when depósitos were required. I was obedient to God’s direction and made the commitment and deposit. As usual, God has been faithful and already replenishing my funds. Thank you to everyone who has played a part in praying for me and the teams as well as your financial support. I would be unable to answer God’s call to serve internationally without your support.

My previous post describes the first part of our week in South Africa working in Emaus with Pastor Musa. On Wednesday, we returned to Johannesburg to spend two days working on the property of Village of Hope. On our first day in Johannesburg, before we left for Emaus, we visited a baby house for Door of Hope Orphanage. Door of Hope was started in 1999 with a door and a box in a wall where babies could be left and cared for versus being abandoned on the streets to die. Since that time, around 1700 babies have been saved. Property has been purchased on the outskirts of Johannesburg to develop a village for the orphans that are not adopted.

The first day our team of 13 made bricks that will be used in constructing houses for the toddlers. Once we removed the forms from bricks previously poured, the forms were oiled so that the hardened concrete would be easily removed. I was on the oiling team. Afterwards, the forms were reassembled and concrete poured into them. It takes two days for the concrete to set and harden.

The second day, I had the opportunity to work in the vegetable garden with David, the Zimbabwean who works on the property. I enjoyed pulling weeds with Ashley and getting to know her better. We pulled weeds, prepped the beds and planted seeds for beets, corn and beans. After lunch, we gathered eggs and chased rabbits away from the garden. There are two rabbits that used to be pets but now run free. Sometimes they get in the vegetable garden and eat the plants. When our fellow teammates accused us of being mean chasing them, we responded it was “babies or bunnies.” They were eating the babies food. During the afternoon rain storm, David told us about holidays in South Africa and Zimbabwe as well as the recent political climate in Zimbabwe and the current political climate in South Africa.

Saturday, our team visited a wildlife park and we saw Impala, Wildebeest, Giraffe, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards and lions. I even got to pet a lion cub. That evening, there were intense thunderstorms all around. When we returned to the village, the thatch roof house on the next property was on fire due to a direct lightening strike. That night as I watched the vibrant lightening show, I marveled that the same God who was displaying His power in the storm is the same God who speaks to me quietly and loves me personally. Sunday, we worshipped with the members of Berea Baptist Church, the church that partners with Door of Hope. We sang hymns and worship music, all while many of the members worshipped with song and dance. As we sang the song with the wording “Our God defeats HIV-aids” and “Our God defeats Ebola”, you realize you are in a different country than America.

A few more memories:

• I never got used to driving on the left side of the road. Left turns were a bit unnerving. Seemed like we were destined for a head on collision.

In the tribal communities when a man wants to marry, he has to give the bride’s family a cow. During a conversation with Anesu, one of the workers at Village of Hope, he said (I presume jokingly) a good woman was worth 10 cows, to which I responded I would probably be worth only two. For the rest of the week, my new found friend would evaluate my worth. I believe I completed the trip with a worth of 7 cows.

For the past two days, I have been in Emmaus, South Africa with North Carolina Baptists on Mission ministering to Pastor Musa and his congregation. Pastor Musa has a heart for his Zulu community and bringing them to Christ. We worshipped with them Sunday and the belief that Baptists do not dance is not true in South Africa. The people have such a worshipful spirit and are so gracious. We sat among the congregation- a suggestion of one of them. At the end of service, the pastor instructed us to shake hands with everyone and we had to dance while doing it! Afterwards, his wife made an amazing meal of Zulu bread, chicken stew, and chocolacca, which is kind of like a salsa.

Monday and Tuesday, we held eye glass clinics and installed a fence around church yard for pastor so that the preschool he has will be recognized by government and he can possibly receive funding. We had almost 90 people in eye clinics and each clinic the Creation to Christ story was presented. The South African who mentors Pastor Musa commented on how people would drive or walk by to see the white people working alongside the black people. That is not a sight they usually see. And we were definitely a bright spot in the Zulu village! People will stop by the church just to see why we were there and why we would do what we did. One the second day several ladies came to eye clinic with a mud like substance on their faces. The interpreter told me they work outside and it was like a sunscreen.

The Zulu people were soft spoken. I would have to lean near to hear the interpreter when he spoke to me. Even when Pastor Musa spoke to us, not preaching, it was soft spoken.

We stayed at a beautiful camp where I had the opportunity to see African trees and plants. I even found an orchid growing along the riverbank!

On our first evening there, one of the camp directors was informing us they had snakes on property. But most were not poisonous, only spitting snakes so if you came across a snake that was bowed up to cover your eyes. Oh, but if it did get in your eye you could just wash it out. Well, nobody wants snake spit in their eye.

Wednesday on our way back to Village of Hope, we stopped to meet a wonderful lady named Pebble who has been ministering to the poor of Africa for many years. As she shared a small portion on her story, you could see her excitement in what God has done. She began ministering to the HIV-Aids people and also the poor. She provides food as well as started a sewing clinic. Currently, a nearby resort gives her old sheets and towels which the sewing ladies repurpose into usable sheets and towels. She is currently seeking a venue to sell the products to produce revenue for the ministry and the ladies sewing. Pebble also needs knee surgery and uses crutches to move around. Please remember Pastor Musa and Miss Pebble as they minister to the Africans of South Africa and share the gospel with them.

This past weekend I drove my mom to Indiana for my nephew’s wedding. We took my dad’s Garmin and for the drive up it was great. Took us right to my older brother’s house with easy to understand directions. However, when we left to return home, I selected the “Go To Home” option assuming my parents address was programmed in. I am still not sure where it wanted to take us but in Louisville, KY it began directing us east, not south. So I pulled over to consult an Atlas I had in the car, trying to get an overview of the route, thinking maybe it was aware of another route I was not familiar with. I told my mom I was more comfortable with reviewing the entire route first and then it was easier to trust the GPS when it just gave me one step at a time.

Hmmm – that thought sounds familiar. I have also said I would be more comfortable if God would reveal the destination, or give me an overview of the route. Then it would be more comfortable to take the directions He only reveals one step at a time. Because I would have a general idea of the outcome. It has been downright scary at times standing still, waiting for the next step to be revealed. Or take the next step when it is revealed and doesn’t make sense. Just like when the GPS directs you off the road you thought you should take and puts you on a route that you do not understand.

Proverbs 16:9 tells us “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” And Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord; and He delights in his way.”

As I was thinking about this analogy, and how comforting it would be if God would reveal the end goal, I realized He already has. His goal is for us to become more like Jesus. 2 Corinthians 3:18 states “we are being transformed into his image”. He directs our path so that our encounters and experiences will give us opportunities to develop into the character of Jesus. The NIV translation of Psalm 37:23-24 is “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

I will strive to firmly place my step along the path God directs me, even if it is just one step at a time and the entire path, or even the next several steps, are not revealed. I will strive to trust that my GPS (God Positioned Steps) is directing me on a path that will result in making me more Christ like.

Making new friends, reacquainting with friends made last year, and serving God by serving others. Those are what comes to mind when I think of my mission trip to Ukraine. We held 5 days of clinics and saw 558 people. The number of people is less than my previous trips this year but the number does not tell the story. The medical clinics in the Roma camps are not like other clinics. The entire family comes and is seen by one provider. If I remember correctly, the largest family for the week was 11 people. And they do not just discuss what their ailment is. A complete history is told, not just health history but life history. What a privilege for the providers to get to sit and listen, showing interest and caring for each individual.

Being in pharmacy, I do not have direct contact with the people but I obtain an overall perspective of the different ailments encountered. We averaged about 4 medications per person. Some only received vitamins and worm medicine while others received 6 or 7 medications, ranging from antacids for stomach pain, antibiotics for infections, and medications for high blood pressure. I had the opportunity to calculate dosing for children for pain medicine as well as antibiotics. That is something that the pharmacist generally does in the states but the pharmacist on our trip allowed me to do it.

I do not have a good understanding of the culture of the Roma. Each trip I have learned a little bit more. This trip, my room mate, who is one of the providers, was sharing about a lady she saw that had given birth to a stillborn baby two weeks ago. The umbilical chord had become wrapped around the baby’s neck. My friend explained that in Roma culture, it is considered the woman’s fault. Initially, I thought she meant any problems in childbirth but she said no, anything is considered the woman’s fault. The doctor and husband were both blaming the mother for the death.

This trip, I had to battle some spiritual warfare. I would like to claim I soundly defeated the enemy but that was not the case. Often we tend to pray a prayer for protection and believe our mission trip is going to be all sunshine and roses. In reality, we are waging war. And warfare can be ugly. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11-12 to put on the full armor of God so that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. And that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. When we are building God’s kingdom, we are tearing down satan’s kingdom. He can not steal us from God because we are sealed by the spirit. But he can make us ineffective. And he knew just where to hit me – my insecurities. For the most part, I recognized what it was and made some attempts to overcome it. But I should have proclaimed the name of Jesus over the attack and been more resoundingly victorious. Hopefully lesson learned and I will be better prepared next time.

Thank you to my friend Diána, for “the rest of the story” on the Roma lady I mentioned above. I am grateful to her for expounding on this encounter our team had with this lady. Her comments are below:

Dear Susanne, I interpreted for Kathy when we met the mourning woman you mentioned in this post. I feel obliged to add that while sadly it was true that her husband and the doctor were blaming her for her miscarriage, saying she shouldn’t have lifted heavy objects while pregnant, her mom, siblings, and most of the Roma community would keep assuring her about how it wasn’t her fault, and told her that this could have happened to anyone, lifting or not. Kathy did a grand job supporting and praying for her too! 🙂

I just felt it was important to share that most of the people and family did not put the blame on her! 🙂 ❤

It is hard to comprehend what life would be like to live in a society where you are discriminated against. How do you have hope when reality is you will always occupy a lowly place in society. Not because you have no skills, have no ambition, or are not smart enough. Only because of your genes, which you have no control over. That is life for the gypsies in the Ukraine.

And then you meet the man who is hunchbacked and radiates joy. He leads worship on Sunday, speaks from his heart about his love for Jesus, and loves on the children like each one is special. That is when you realize their hope is in Jesus and in the eternal. Their circumstances may not improve here on earth, but they have a heavenly mansion to look forward to. It brings your life into perspective. In America we tend to complain, or protest, and the least little discomfort or perceived injustice. And here are these people who have much to be bitter about but still live in the joy of the Lord.

For the past three days, we have seen 378 people. The people are so sweet. This morning when we arrived in camp, so many children came running, greeting us with szia (pronounced see ya), which is their “hello” and each one wanted to shake our hands.

We have been busy in pharmacy. Medications have been averaging 3-4 per people. Lots of antibiotics, muscle cream, and some blood pressure meds.

As I write this, I am sitting in the Charlotte, NC airport waiting for my flight to Budapest, Hungary for my next medical mission. It has only been two weeks since my return from Colombia, and I returned with a viral respiratory infection that I have been battling.

Colombia was hot and humid. We held 4 clinics, saw a total of 1229 people with 211 salvations. The large majority of people who attended the clinics were Venezuelan refugees who do not have access to medical care in Colombia. One particular village we were in had a strong influence of witchcraft that the refugees had brought from their country. The pastors were so grateful we came to their communities to provide medical care as well as bring the good news of Jesus Christ. As we were beginning the trip, I recalled Isaiah 61:1; ” The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners”. We were there to tell the people about the one who is able to bind up their broken heart, give them freedom, and release them from darkness – Jesus Christ. For two days, 5 countries were represented on our team: United States, Colombia, a doctor from Cuba, a dentist from Honduras, and a team member who grew up in Brazil as a missionary kid. We were able to provide prenatal care to pregnant women, antibiotics for infections, allergy meds, and remove decaying teeth as well as repair damaged teeth. One of the Colombian doctors was able to preform some more complicated procedures. One afternoon, he asked several of us to gather around an older gentleman and pray before he performed a procedure with a needle on varicose veins he had in his arm. After we prayed, the Cuban doctor told us it was a very dangerous procedure.

You May wonder why I travel on these medical mission trips. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says ” And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” I am responding to the call Christ has made on my life. He has placed a burden on my heart and called me to international missions. I am living for Christ, to show others the love He has for them.